Most of the social media work we do is on the “Big Three”—Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. The changes these networks have undergone in the last six months have significantly altered the tactics and strategies we recommend. These three tips have helped us optimize our presence in the current social media landscape.

1. Think beyond the typical post. 

In January, Facebook updated its algorithm to penalize brands’ promotional posts. If a post seems too promotional, Facebook will dock the company’s visibility in users’ news feeds. A post is deemed “too promotional” if it pushes a product, app, or contest, or if it repurposes advertising content. Rumor has it, Twitter will implement a similar algorithm change.

Given these changes, consider these suggestions to make your posts stand out above the rest:

• Use more videos. According to Socialbakers, video posts on Facebook now outperform YouTube videos. In December, videos posted by brands on Facebook received 80 percent of all video interactions within social networks, including YouTube.
• Invest in more sponsored posts. Only about 2 percent of large brands’ organic Facebook posts are seen by their followers. You can avoid the organic post deathtrap by sponsoring your posts and targeting them to a specific demographic. This works for LinkedIn, too.

2. Leverage out-of-the-box ways to reach users.

The first three months of this year gave us several new social features:

• Twitter unveiled Curator, a tool that lets publishers curate and embed Tweets and Vine videos, giving content creators a new way to expand their reach, engage audiences, and spark conversations.
• Instagram announced it was going to make ads clickable—a new feature available to brands looking to deliver more information to their targeted users. Before this announcement, Instagram posts were not clickable at all; only a link in the account owner’s bio had that functionality.
• LinkedIn unveiled its Expanded LinkedIn Marketing Solutions Platform that it billed as a “full-funnel, end-to-end product suite” that offers “the most effective way for marketers to reach, nurture and acquire professional customers.”

Why is all this happening? Because amassing followers only takes you so far. Companies are looking to the next step—to engage and cultivate authentic, genuine relationships.

“Brands have amassed large and loyal audiences within the social network platforms, which has taken years of effort and significant investment,” AdWeek states. “There’s an opportunity now to activate these audiences, but the reality is that continued activation will require further investment, new approaches and a new set of tools.”

Just as it’s time to think beyond the typical post, it’s also imperative that your content is crafted specifically for news feeds. As new tools and features are announced, more paths for reaching—and touching—your audience open up. For instance, you may not earn as high of an engagement rate with a typical Facebook update as you might with sponsoring an Instagram ad, or even just posting a video.

3. The days of the “hard sell” are gone.

Not everyone can put a paid effort behind a social promotion. This reality heightens the importance of providing content that is valuable to your audience.

• Shift your focus toward developing a community. Take note from Sony and PlayStation. They developed a community that serves as a forum for gaming enthusiasts and earned millions of visits. Communities not only connect users with like-minded people, but also connect them with host companies.
• Write creative copy and use a conversational tone. Take a look at Facebook’s photo example for inspiration.
• Don’t underestimate the power of email marketing. While only two percent of brands’ Facebook posts are seen, 90 percent of emails are delivered directly into inboxes (according to Forrester).